It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

ProteusDS v2.43 is now available for download.

The software is ready to go, and login credentials for active subscribers will allow you to access ProteusDS v2.43 from our website.

In case you’re wondering what’s new, we’ve highlighted some of the critical new features below.

NEW Cable State Generator

First and particularly noteworthy, we’ve created a new way to define cable segments and elements in PST. Activate the new tool with the $CableSegmentMode property in the Cable input file. The new state generator makes it much easier to create segments and ensure that nodes are placed at the correct arc length. It also allows you to remesh a cable very quickly – adding resolution to the part of your model that needs it – through specification of the number of elements in each segment.

New cable state generator allows you to remesh quickly, and more efficiently match cable segment lengths with node positions.

NEW Net Modeling Enhancements

We’re introducing three key new features for net modellers: First, a default axial damping coefficient is now determined based on element lengths and stiffnesses. This option will typically speed up simulations which are not optimized for axial damping.

The second new feature permits the simulation of disk nets like the one shown in the figure below. By specifying edge lengths of 0 for Edge 1 (i.e. setting the inner radius to 0 in the disk net IC generator), the solver now automatically adds a constraint which prevents separation of the nodes along edge 1.

Lastly, the net state generator has been updated to recall what settings were used to create the net. A new framework has been built into PST that will allow us to remember more user’s settings and preferences going forward.

The net model now allows you to model disk nets without a hole in the centre – which is much closer to how nets are constructed.

Wave Drift Modeling

We’ve added the ability to model slowly varying wave-drift loads using sum difference quadratic transfer functions (QTFs). This capability has been added to the RigidBodyRadDiffHydordynamic feature’s hydrodynamic database).

The capability has been validated using published data, and a description of the implemented approach has been described in a report available on our website here: Wave drift modeling report.

Thrusters and Propellers

You can now model thrusters and propellers through specification of thrust and torque curves. Modeling options that are supported include wake fraction, fluid dynamic inertia, thrust deduction, and azimuthing propellers.

The RPM of a propeller can be adjusted through the ProteusDS API, which is ideal for maneuvering of dynamic positioning studies in which you want maximal control over the propeller. A thruster is added to a RigidBody at a particular location, and orientation using a Thruster feature, much like when you add a hydrodynamic mesh model (e.g. cylinder or cuboid). This means that thruster/propeller model parameters can be centrally adjusted.

Model propellers accurately for DP and seakeeping/maneuvering studies.

So, that’s ProteusDS 2.43 – we hope you enjoy it and find the new features useful.

For a complete list of additions, changes, and resolved issues